Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stressed the need for strengthening the scouts movements involving each of the students  as it helps make children worthy to lead Bangladesh towards a developed, prosperous and smart country by 2041.

"I want to groom every child as a worthy citizen of the country -- scouts have given moral and life-oriented education to them. Members of the scouts are being developed as patriotic and conscious citizens with a mentality of rendering services," she said.

The premier said she wants to strengthen the scout movement more prominently by providing every student in each educational institution across the country with scout training as it helps build children with an open mind that is required to stay away from militancy, terrorism, drugs and corruption.   

She was addressing the 32nd Asia-Pacific Scout Jamboree and the concluding ceremony of the 11th National Scout Jamboree 2023 at the National Scouts Training Centre at Gazipur's Mouchak as the chief guest.

Briefly describing her government's initiatives to strengthen the scout movement in the country, she said her government would build scout buildings and training centres in each upazila and district.

The prime minister hoped that the world scouts jamboree would be held in Bangladesh in future and asked all concerned to take preparations to this end.

At the function, the prime minister distributed the highest award for the scouts "Shapla Cub Award" which included a certificate signed by her and a batch among 12 regional winners.

President of Bangladesh Scouts Md Abul Kalam Azad and Chairman of the Jamboree Organising Committee and Chief National Commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts Dr Md Mozammel Haque Khan spoke at the function.

The premier also released a special postage stamp marking the regional and national scouts jamboree.

Posts and Telecommunications Division Secretary Abu Hena Morshed Zaman and Director General of the Directorate of Posts Md Harunur Rashid attended the programme.  

A total of 11,000 participants, including 8,000 scouts, 1,000 unit leaders, and International Service Team members from India, Nepal, the Maldives, the Philippines, Scout China (Taiwan), Thailand, South Korea, the USA, Germany and Canada participated in the nine-day event which will conclude on January 27.